Poor NBME score

[the_samrat]

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did nbme 6 few days back and scored 440 (207), w/ 2.5 weeks into studying. A little bit concerned b/c my score went down from my past NBME (5).

Still have ~5 weeks for my exam, so I'm really trying to figure out how i should proceed. I thought nbme6 was ok, and looking @ the answers i've gotten wrong, I could've gotten at least 40-50% right w/ more studying/memorizing. I Knew the concepts, just haven't memorized them well enough.

My previous NBME5 was a 460.


What can I do to improve my score? I have another 800 UW q's to do and hoping to go over FA (thoroughly) twice.

Advice would be appreciated.

 

[winkleweizen]

did nbme 6 few days back and scored 440 (207), w/ 2.5 weeks into studying. A little bit concerned b/c my score went down from my past NBME (5).

Still have ~5 weeks for my exam, so I'm really trying to figure out how i should proceed. I thought nbme6 was ok, and looking @ the answers i've gotten wrong, I could've gotten at least 40-50% right w/ more studying/memorizing. I Knew the concepts, just haven't memorized them well enough.

My previous NBME5 was a 460.


What can I do to improve my score? I have another 800 UW q's to do and hoping to go over FA (thoroughly) twice.

Advice would be appreciated.

5 weeks is so much time. Just plug through first aid and make sure you UNDERSTAND everything on there and memorize the little details. Do a block of UW a day and then thoroughly read through all the answer explanations (ones you got right and wrong)..this should take 2.5-3.5 hours for a block of 46.

 

[quepatho]

My entire study period was 5 weeks. I started with an NBME of 214, and my last NBME 2 weeks ago was a 233. (UWSA last week was 244).

Just finish your UWorld/FA. Will make a huge difference, promise. Try to do FA 3x if you can.

 

[the_samrat]

thanks for the replies. I'll try to finish up rest of UW and go over FA as much as I can.

Should I attempt another NBME anytime soon? Or just wait for 3 more weeks?

 

[SlaveOfTCMC]

Not to burst your bubble, but NBME 5 was by the far the easiest...

But to be constructive, work on First Aid and UW some more. While going about the facts, also think about "why why why" on pathophysiology.


Then attempt NBME 11 and/or 12 whenever you see fit, as several people who recently took the test felt those two tests were good indicators.

 

[quepatho]

thanks for the replies. I'll try to finish up rest of UW and go over FA as much as I can.

Should I attempt another NBME anytime soon? Or just wait for 3 more weeks?

Personally, I just took an NBME once every weekend and supplemented it with 3 UWorld blocks (to make 7 total blocks) because not being able to gauge my progress each week would have made me alternatively lazy or scared.

I did 6, 7, 11, and 12 in that order (because why not, the numbers go up and you do the recent ones last).

Kind of ended up being expensive, I guess, in retrospect, but I just did what I had to do.

I'm not saying my strategy is the best. But it's one that I used when I had 5 weeks.

 

[the_samrat]

thanks for the replies. Yea, i realized NBME 5 was much easier than 6.

My UW has been improving steadily...and is @ 70% w/ 65% qs done. I'm not sure if it was just NBME's that I'm somehow not doing well or at least improving.

I'm planning to do NBME 12 in a week (and in the mean time, do as many UW q's/FA and learn from them) and see how that goes.